The Making of Martin Luther

by Richard Rex

Overview

A major new account of the most intensely creative years of Luther's career

The Making of Martin Luther takes a provocative look at the intellectual emergence of one of the most original and influential minds of the sixteenth century. Richard Rex traces how, in a concentrated burst of creative energy in the few years surrounding his excommunication by Pope Leo X in 1521, this lecturer at an obscure German university developed a startling new interpretation of the Christian faith that brought to an end the dominance of the Catholic Church in Europe. Lucidly argued and elegantly written, The Making of Martin Luther is a splendid work of intellectual history that renders Luther's earthshaking yet sometimes challenging ideas accessible to a new generation of readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780691196862
Publisher:	Princeton University Press
Publication date:	11/05/2019
Pages:	296
Sales rank:	687,052
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Richard Rex is professor of Reformation history at the University of Cambridge and a fellow of Queens' College. His books include Tudors: The Illustrated History and Henry VIII and the English Reformation.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

1 Wittenberg 1517 1

2 From Erfurt to Wittenberg 22

3 The Catholic Luther 45

4 The Quest for Certainty 69

5 Intimations of Antichrist 96

6 Luther and Eck 108

7 Rome and Wittenberg 135

8 Worms and the Wartburg 159

9 The Beginning and End of Reformation 184

10 The Meaning of Martin Luther 211

Abbreviations 231

Notes 233

Index 271

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"A remarkable piece of writing that will have an enduring influence. With shrewd and canny insights, powerful prose, and wit, Richard Rex offers a persuasive and provocative tour through the early years of the Reformation."—Bruce Gordon, author of John Calvin's "Institutes of the Christian Religion": A Biography

"One of the most interesting and original studies of Luther that I've read in my career. Combining deep learning and analytical rigor with a wry sense of humor, Rex breaks through the crust of endlessly repeated scholarly narratives and interpretative assumptions that have long been taken for granted. The Making of Martin Luther is an important book."—Brad S. Gregory, author of The Unintended Reformation: How a Religious Revolution Secularized Society

Editorial Reviews

"Rex’s nuanced account of Luther’s theology, steeped in deep learning and wry humour, demands attention."—-Susannah Monta, Times Literary Supplement

"Richard Rex's new book, The Making of Martin Luther, is brilliant in exposing the hair-raising character of his theology."—-Melanie McDonagh, The Spectator

"Readable, free of jargon, and entertaining. . . . This is a book that teaches. Its value lies in presenting briefly and pointedly what is distinctive about Luther’s theological development rather than repeating the partisan caricatures of his thought and role produced by later generations of both his detractors and his followers."—-Bradley A. Peterson, Reading Religion

From the Publisher

"A quick read packed with lots of good information, The Making of Martin Luther is a nice jumping-off point for Luther scholarship, whether you’re a believer/theologian or a secularist/agnostic/atheist."

Manhattan Book Review